Thursday, Nov. 1
The Buffaloes have to win at home. They won more Big 12 road games (three) than home games (two) last year. I think it comes down to better
decision-making down the stretch. David Harrison is their big-time freshman recruit, a 7-foot center from Tennessee. And his brother, senior D.J.
Harrison, was their leading scorer last year. So the Harrison brothers are the key. The Buffs are talented and can play a lot of players. But they have
to start winning at home and take advantage of the Rocky Mountain altitude.

Outlook
Could this develop into Ricardo Patton's best team at Colorado? Only if the Buffaloes reach the second round of the NCAA tournament, as they did in 1997.

Patton got off to a solid start before the season even began, though, signing heralded center David Harrison. The 7-foot, 240-pounder chose Colorado over North Carolina and Duke after averaging 28.3 points, 13.1 rebounds and 5.6 blocks for Brentwood Academy in Nashville. Harrison, whose older brother starts at forward for the Buffaloes, is the most ballyhooed recruit in school history.

His brother, D.J. Harrison (15.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg), will be joined in the starting frontcourt by junior Stephane Pelle (11.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg), one of the most improved players in the Big 12 last season. Although the Buffaloes will miss the departed Jamahl Mosley (13.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and the backups are untested, that frontline has Patton excited.

The Buffaloes must also replace point guard Jose Winston, who had one year of eligibility left but transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to be close to home. No matter. Sophomore Chevis Brimmer (2.8 ppg, 0.7 apg) had taken over the point-guard duties late last season anyway. If Brimmer falters, don't be surprised to see junior college transfer James Wright (17.1 ppg, 7.0 apg) run the show. Sophomore Justin Harbert (7.7 ppg, 41.7 percent 3-point shooting) and senior Nick Mohr (8.7 ppg, 37.6 pecent 3-point shooting) are competent shooting guards who should provide consistent scoring from the perimeter.

What we like: Landing a recruit the caliber of David Harrison, even aided by his brother's presence, is essential for a program looking to compete with the big boys in the Big 12. There appears to be enough scoring along the baseline and on the perimeter to keep defenses honest. And if David Harrison draws attention close to the basket, his teammates should get plenty of open looks. They've got to make them.

What we don't like: Depth along the baseline could become an issue. Remember that David Harrison, despite his impressive resumé, is just a freshman. Last season the Buffaloes started out strong with an up-tempo game and scored 100 or more points four times. However, Colorado struggled noticeably when opponents slowed the pace and forced a half-court game. Will David Harrison's presence shore up that area of weakness this season? Only time will tell.

The bottom line: Colorado ranked 11th in the Big 12 in scoring defense last season as opponents averaged 75 points on 42.6-percent shooting. Those numbers have to improve this season. Patton has publicly complained about the lack of support the team receives at home. But which comes first, support or victories? Colorado should improve upon its ninth-place finish but don't expect a significant jump in the standings.